THE WORLD READS WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER — 8,324,077 VISITS IN ONE YEAR

Competitors round Mamaroneck Avenue into Quaroppas at the first Criterion Bicycle Races held in White Plains last June. The Cyclists are coming back to race for the New York State Championship this Sunday, June 8.

WPCNR MAMARONECK AVENUE AMBLER. JUNE 3, 2014:

The City of White Plains will host the New York State Bicycle Racing Championship this Sunday June 8 in downtown White Plains.

Thousands viewing the White Plains Independence Day Fireworks at White Plains High School in July 2013. This year’s July 4 celebration will be held Wednesday July 2, raindate, July 3

The city has also announced on its July Calendar the 2014 July 4 Independence Day Fireworks will be held Wednesday July 2, beginning at 6 P.M. at White Plains High School.

Both events are free.

The White Plains Downtown Criterium will host the 2014 New York State Criterium Championships on Sunday, June 8th, 2014 in the City of White Plains. The selection was made by the New York State Bicycle Racing Association, www.nysbra.com.

“We’re very excited to host this year’s New York State championships and the fact that the race continues to gain popularity and recognition among residents and cyclist,” said Joe Markey the race promoter. “It’s an honor for the City of White Plains as well as for Westchester County. This year’s race will include a Life Style and Leisure Expo sponsored by the White Plains Business Improvement District.”

The White Plains Criterium is a classic criterium course comprised of a .5 mile loop with four corners and sloping streets through downtown White Plains. A Criterium, also known as a “crit”, is a high speed, action-packed bike race held on a race course closed to traffic.

Individuals and teams race around the course in a pack returning to the starting point every two to three minutes, making the race a terrific spectator sport. Colorful, non-stop action is the rule as riders negotiate tight turns at high speed jockeying for position for the final sprint to the finish.

This year’s major sponsors include KeyBank, Captain Lawrence Brewing Co., Bicycle World
of Mt Kisco, NY, Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, and Prospero Wines. All excess proceeds
from the race are given to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug
Dependence/Westchester, Inc. based in downtown White Plains (www.ncadd/westhcester.org).

“Proceeds from the Criterium will enable us to grow our new Elementary School Program,” said Joan Bonsignore, Executive Director of NCADD/Westchester. “Every family is affected by substance abuse and addictions. Life skills teaching programs such as ours, have received the highest rating from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. By supporting the Council you are partnering with us and helping to improve the quality of life for thousands of Westchester families.

For additional details including race times please visit the race website at
www.whiteplainscrit.com

Photo (left to right): Franco Cabral, senior vice president, AdCorp Media Group; Shaun Asbury, vice president, TD Bank; Elias Mendoza, vice president, Siris Capital; Kim Jacobs, executive director, Community Capital New York; Stella Vida, CPA, principal, Hart Vida Raffo; Jim Coleman, Minority and Women Business Enterprise liaison officer; and County Executive Robert P. Astorino.

County Executive Robert P. Astorino in partnership with Latin Business Today, a national online publication dedicated to enabling the success and growth of Latino small businesses, hosted a Hispanic small business forum today titled “Crossroads to Customers, Capital and Contracts” at Westchester Community College’s Gateway Center last week..

The county executive kicked off the event by discussing how important small business is to our economy – both nationally and locally.

“You are the forefront of job creation and economic development for Westchester County,” said Astorino. “Thank you for your ideas, energy and hard work. Please know Westchester is here to help you in whatever way we can.”

The forum focused on Hispanic small business entrepreneurs since nearly 10 percent of all Westchester businesses are Hispanic-owned, and that number continues to grow each year.

“This is great news,” said Astorino. “It shows that the American dream is still possible, and small business is most definitely a gateway to prosperity.”

At the forum, which was free and open to the public, local business owners had the opportunity to listen and learn from a panel of experts that discussed topics based on three essentials for businesses:

• Customers: How to reach your customers and increase your business through targeted marketing and innovative solutions.
• Capital: How to gain access to capital through loans and financing programs.
• Contracts: How to secure government and private sector contracts and grow your business.

In addition, guests had the opportunity to ask questions and network with both public and private sector professionals that could help start or grow their business.

Barry Mittelman, publisher of Latin Business Today, chose to partner with the county on this forum because it was an opportunity to personally engage Latino small business owners with its mentor contributors in its home county.

“We were pleased to partner with Westchester County to help personally engage and enable the success and growth of Latino small business owners in this challenging economy,” said Barry Mittelman, publisher of Latin Business Today. “Having Senen Garcia, a member of our advisory board, leading the panel as well as other mentor contributors on the floor served our cause to support small businesses.”

The panel discussion was moderated by Garcia, an attorney, SCORE mentor, entrepreneur and Latin Business Today advisory board member.

Panelists included: Franco Cabral, senior vice president, AdCorp Media Group; Shaun Asbury, vice president, commercial lending with TD Bank in Purchase; Kim Jacobs, executive director, Community Capital New York; Elias Mendoza, vice president, Siris Capital; Jim Coleman, Minority and Women Business Enterprise liaison officer, Westchester County; and Stella Vida, CPA, principal Hart Vida Raffo.

Event sponsors included: TD Bank, platinum sponsor; PepsiCo, gold sponsor; Hart Vida Raffo, silver sponsor; Score, SBDC and Westchester Community College, contributing sponsors.